Owning a pet is the greatest pleasure in the world. According to a scientific study, owning a pet is linked to better mental health. Along with helping your mental stimulation, keeping a cat ensures a friendly environment at home.
DID YOU KNOW? Cat is the most popular pet in the United States. More people own cats than dogs. 86% of the household owns about 85 million cats according to the National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA).
Let’s take a look at the benefits of owning a pet, especially a cat.
Benefits of Being a Cat Owner
Here are ten of the most essential benefits of owning a cat.
1. Owning a feline is better for the environment
Cats are environment-friendly pets. They account for almost zero carbon emissions. If you're worried about the carbon footprint, it’s better to own a cat than a dog. The resources such as food, shelter, and clothes required for a cat is way much lesser than owning a dog. Resources needed to pet a dog over the course of its lifetime create the same eco-footprint as that of a Land Cruiser.
Cats have smaller appetite compared to dogs and are more likely to eat small choices of food. The pet healthcare cost associated with a cat is lesser than other pets as well.
2. Cope with your emotional stress
We all go down the bad phase of life where we might lose the loved one, get separated with a confidant, lose a lifetime opportunity, or feel in despair. Cats have been shown to help people get over their loss more quickly.
Owning a pet, in general, helps to cope with emotional difficulty. Despite being an animal, they can serve as social support. The best thing about pets is that they do not judge you like a human or leave you at your worst.
3. Help find a partner
A British survey found that 82% of women are more attracted to men who like animals such as dogs and cats.
Many women chose a cat over a dog. Whopping 90 percent of single women said that men with cats as pets are “nicer.” Even if you aren’t able to find a partner, you can always rely on the company of your pet.
4. Survey says, “Cat Owners are Smarter”
It’s isn’t true that owning a cat makes you outright smart, but when you are a dedicated person who delves into longer work and study hours, owning a cat can be the best thing for you.
A 2010 survey of British pet owners by the University of Bristol found that people who owned cats were more likely to have college degrees.
The time spent in caring for other pets like a dog can consume a lot of time. Tending a cat requires way less time compared to other pets, hence giving more time for the pet owner to focus on other important things.
5. A Healthy Heart
Owning a pet is linked to a healthy heart! Cats, in particular, can lower your stress level and lower the amount of anxiety in your life. A scientific study over a 10-year period concluded that the cat owners were 30 percent less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than non-cat owners. Although it may require further scientific research, it is proven that owning a pet can lower your stress level. Time to adopt a new cat now!
6. Fulfill your need for Companionship
Each of us seeks companionship! What better to fulfill that by adopting a cat? Caressing a cat and receiving the same kind of affection back can fulfill your companionship needs.
An Austrian study conducted in 2003 found that having a cat in the house is the emotional equivalent of having a romantic partner.
Unlike dogs, cats are more likely to be demanding and stubborn. An interesting scientific study conluded that:
After thousands of years of domestication, cats have learned how to make a half purr/half howl noise that sounds remarkably like a human baby’s cry. And since our brains are programmed to respond to our children’s distress, it is almost impossible to ignore what a cat wants when it demands it like that.
7. They tell a lot about your personality
Your choice of pet reveals a lot about your personality. As per the study conducted, most dog owners are found to have a more extrovert life, while the cat owners are quieter and more introverted.
Cat owners score highly when it comes to being trustworthy, less manipulative, and modest.
8. Sleep Better
Sleeping with a pet around is linked with quality sleep and healthy pattern. A study in UK found women preferred to sleep with their cats than with their partners. It has to do with a sense of security, companionship, and safety.
A study conducted by Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine indicates that 41 percent of the people in that study told that they slept better because of their pet, while only 20 percent said that it led to disturbances.
9. Fewer Allergies
The National Institutes of Health released a study in 2002 that children under a year old who were exposed to a cat were less likely to develop allergies
High pet exposure early in life can protect against not only pet allergy but also other types of common allergies. Marshall Plaut, M.D., chief of the allergic mechanisms section at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases concludes this in his research.
Although there might be a chance of contracting cat-related diseases such as cat parasite Toxoplasma gondii, experts say that by changing your cat’s litter box every day and keeping them indoors, you will remain safe!
10. They can Save Your Life
Cats are infamous for their reputation of remaining aloof and not caring about their humans. But in certain cases, they were known to have saved lives.
A cat in the UK warns her human companion when he’s about to have an epileptic seizure. A cat in Montana woke up its two humans when a gas pipe started leaking. Firefighters told the couple that the house could easily have exploded if not for cat’s intervention.
Throughout history, cats have received the highest medals for their bravery and smartness.
How to keep your cats happy?
Here are five ways you can keep your cats happy.
- Respect their space
- Provide entertainment like playthings or toys
- Feed them right. Feeding right means the right food at a right time.
- Keep their teeth in check
- Go outdoor with them
Urban Pet Hospital & Resort is a premier pet hospital specializing in pet care services in Des Moines. Get in touch with us to know more about pet care, vaccination and therapies, and diet plans.